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Beginners Guide To SA Online Poker

Getting started playing online poker is easier than you think. Whether you've played weekend games with friends or have never seen a deck of cards in your life, our beginners guide is the ideal starting point. It covers everything you need to know like how to choose a site, signing up, different types of games, and much more.

If you've dreamed of playing poker for fun, glory, or pure fame it's not going to happen unless you take a more active approach. You'll need to read our beginner's guide. It takes only a couple of minutes. By using this page as your launching pad you can easily be playing your first hand within five minutes.

Beginner's Guide In A Nutshell:

  • It's easy to get started playing poker even if you're new to the game.
  • Read our quick reviews to choose a site.
  • Download software or launch the poker room in your browser to begin.
  • Register an account in as little as a minute.
  • Start playing online poker for free.

Find Your Site

One of the reasons poker is so widespread online is because it's so easy to get on board. You'll need to select a site that accepts players from your area. Just consult our reviews and guides. Keep in mind that it's easy to sign up for multiple poker rooms. Try a few and see which one fits you like a glove.

Download Or Go Mobile

After you've found the site you want to play on, you'll need to download the software. This step is optional in some cases. Many of the leading poker rooms will allow you to register and play straight from your favourite browser. Downloads are also less common if you are using a mobile handset, Linux, Mac, or tablet. If you are required to install software, there's usually a wizard that will guide you through to completion.

Before taking a seat at a virtual poker table, you'll need an account. Registration is always free and usually just involves providing your email address and selecting a password. You may also need to select an alias or screen name, which is your public ID whenever you play.

Know Your Fundamentals

Whether you play for fun, ZA Rand, or foreign currency, it's important to be familiar with a few fundamentals. When you first take a seat, chances are you'll be playing in a cash game. Note that the name can be misleading as even fun money games are still called cash games. In a cash game you compete for chips and you are free to enter or leave the table whenever you feel like it.

Endless Tournament Options

Cash games differ from tournaments where you pay an entry fee. Again, the entry fee can be payable in pretend money, but the idea is the same. You'll play until someone wins the pot. Some tournaments feature multiple tables that will merge once enough competitors lose.

Tournaments also come in many flavours, with sit 'n' go being one of the more popular varieties. The defining feature of a sit 'n' go tournament is that it doesn't have a start time. It begins when all the seats are filled. Bigger tournaments tend to be scheduled and require registration, although you can often get in on the action up until the last second.

Embrace The Variety

Whether you choose cash games or tournaments, you'll need to decide what kind of poker you want to play. There are lots of different types but the most common kind online, in Vegas, and on TV is easily Texas Hold'em.

Texas Hold'em is simple to play, but, if you've ever watched the WSOP, you know the stakes can be astronomical. The abridged version is that every player will receive two hole cards facedown from the dealer. Five additional cards are dealt to the centre of the board. The first three cards are known as the flop, the fourth is called the turn, and the fifth is the river. Players compete to create the best hand from their two hole cards and the five on the board. The best hand wins, but first there's lots of wagering before and after the flop, as well as at the turn and river. You can find elaborate guides and rules to all games on this site.

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